1.5 million tourists have visited Lebanon in 2015, revealing the first double-digit growth since 2010. The positive trend has started in Q4 2014, with the implementation of the plans and strategies set by Minister of Tourism Michel Pharaon. It has been moving steadily since then, reflecting the belief in the hospitality sector in the country.
Even though a large majority represents expatriates, Europeans topped the list of tourists this year, with over 505,000 visitor, growing by 13 percent year-on-year.
The figures released by the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) showed that with over 480,000 visitors, Arabs came second. It is the first time since 2011 that inbound Arab tourists reach nearly half a million, growing by four percent y-o-y.
Americans came third with nearly 265,000 visitors, up from 224,000 last year, while the percentage of visitors from Africa grew by little over 50 percent, marking the highest this year.
The MoT has been leading works on different orientations to boost tourism in the country and attract more tourists from around the globe. Rural tourism strategies, ecotourism plans, festivals, and the successful ‘#Livelovelebanon’ campaign have all flourished with positive results. The Ministry is also working on strategies to attract expatriates, diaspora, and tourism from new destinations, including China, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.
Source: Hospitality News
